


No Goodbyes

by hotnthorny



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, Tissue Warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:08:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25897945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hotnthorny/pseuds/hotnthorny
Summary: Things go down on Scipio a little too fast to get words in.. a brother gets left behind.The extended, full length to my telling of Thorn's death from his perspective! If you've read my other drabbles, or are just attached to this man in any way, you're in for a trip.Once again, a major character death. My heart went into this and boy, it hurts every time I have to reread or think about it.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 21





	No Goodbyes

**Author's Note:**

> Promises was written first, and with a couple days of thought, I wanted to do the full scene. I ended up doing so much more, but its what makes it hit so much harder. I made it personal.

To say he didn't expect to die would have been a lie. Of course he did. They were raised and trained under the standpoint that they were expendable; bred to work, bred to follow orders. Bred to die. So to say he didn't expect he would, he would have been lying. He just never expected it would go like this.

It'd been an almost normal day on Coruscant. At least, relatively normal day for the guard. Tensions across the planet were increasingly strung out, especially the air directly around the senate. Which, rather unfortunately, they were stuck with. Rush Clovis, the Republic traitor, and Senator Amidala had brought light to a flaw, a plot within the banking clan's system of credit keep, revealing that the banks had nothing, no credits within their confines. In a game of limbo, collecting taxes from one side to be able to give to the other. They were on the brink of collapse, and still yet just might. 

With tensions high and no side thrilled to hear of this news, the heads of the banking clans were placed under arrest, and a new head was to be appointed. with his seeming new loyalties, Rush Clovis was appointed as the new head, and would be escorted back to the planet of Scipio, along with the senator, to see to a fair and stable order be placed over the banks. Losing them in the middle of the war was not something that could be afforded. So, for the safety of the senator, a guard escort would need to be chosen, and straws would need to be drawn.

One of the commanders, and their accompanying company, would be sent to oversee to the safety and completion of the mission, and once settled, bring the senator back safely. Fox might have been the one to see a mission of such importance through. The entire republic relied on it, so it only seemed fit; however, with the situation in the weeks previous involving the fives shooting, he was to remain on Coruscant and continue his duties under the Chancellor. So it would fall to one of the other commanders to uptake the critical mission.

Thire though fully capable, didn't have the commanding authority to oversee the mission, and with Stone busy with the troops trying to keep Coruscant "safe", one commander remained to do the job. Thorn's straw was drawn, and with the direct approval of the Chancellor, he would be placed in command of the protective detail and escort to ensure the senator could keep the bank or republic from collapsing.

But it would be nothing more than a protective detail, or at least that's what the Chancellor had said while speaking to the senator before seeing them off. Nothing could possibly happen. After all, war couldn't be brought to the banks, could it? Regardless, with the Chancellor's presence, Thorn remained unable to say a word to his brother, standing at the shoulder of the Chancellor, visor boring into him. The order for the mission had come relatively quickly, neither of them had gotten the change to really get a word to each other, much less see each other until now.

And all they could do was stare at each other. One blank, unrevealing visor to another. Maybe they could have used internal comms, but this was more important, too important to talk over. It was critical, and sometimes that meant giving up their usual secrecy of conversation to get more insight of the situation.

So all they did was stare at each other, for the few minutes they stood there before the departure. Thorn wanted to make sure his brother would be okay, hold up in his absence, knowing that he hadn't been quite the same since the shooting. Not near the same, or as well held together as he seemed to be at that moment. But for the sake of not being terminated or reconditioned, he had to be.

It wasn't too much longer before Coruscant was thousands of feet below the cruiser, and in a moment that seemed to take several, the ship was flying through hyperspace to its destination, the rippling blue and white light passing by the bridge windows. He'd give another briefing to the trooper before they arrived, but for now he stood and watched the lights pass.

He knew he was always meant to die. That he always would, in the end, be it from the war or accident on Coruscant, he just didn't think it would come at a time like this. Not yet. Not when he still had things he needed to do. Another check of the comm showed the same as it had the last several times he checked. His message still wasn't seen yet. Must be busy, was the obvious thought. They were all busy. So it would have to wait.

Only a few hours passed since the time they had left the planet, the ship having dropped out of hyperspace and now held still in the planet's orbit. Thorn was already aboard the security station, making its way for the surface as the rest of the troop transports flew to gather around the larger ship. Yet another few minutes, close to twenty, as his HUD showed, were they moving in on the landing platform and docking.

The troops wouldn't be allowed past the city gates. No forces of either side were to, so as he followed the senator from the station, he could tell his men were already tense with the line up of separatist droids behind the separatist senator. It left him with a less than pleasant feeling as well. These were their enemies, the ones that cost them lives and worlds, brothers. The ones that kept this war raging, and they could do nothing but stare them head on while the senators exchanged words.

As it seemed they were done and ready to head into the safe zone, he leaned forward towards the senator to get her attention. "Senator Amidala, we will be right here, should you need us." A respectful nod and smile was what he received. She didn't need to say it to show her appreciation for the concern, she always was softer and more understanding of the clones. It's why they liked her, despite the ridiculous amount of times she finds herself in danger. Which was just another one of the reasons he had an uneasy feeling about this mission.

It wasn't till after they'd seen to the senator's passage through the gates that he and his men turned to glare at the droids that flanked them, a tense moment of hatred and distrust was shared before both sides turned away. Returning to the security post, he gave orders for his men to set up centuries, to be on their toes. Iust in case. Nothing would happen, right? Couldn't be too sure, so it was always "just in case".

Thorn had finally managed to catch his brother at a break some time later. Aside from being on edge, nothing had happened through the day and night thus far, so when the comm on his wrist blipped, he hastily left the lieutenant in charge as he went to one of the empty rooms right down the hall.

"Fox, was beginning to wonder if the Chancellor would ever let you go." He joked, but his worry for his brother had begun to grow the more time that passed. He knew Fox would be alright, Fox had told him before, that he had to be, but that didn't make it any more comforting to hear.

"He almost didn't. Looked like there could have been a riot in the senate session earlier." He sounded tired, and not just because of everything on his mind. Not the usual tired. Must have been something big at the senate.

"Hm, the tax raise . . heard from the senator about it. Didn't sound like it would go over well." She had commed to fill him in on what happened behind the gates. It did nothing to settle his unease.

"It didn't."

"Snd yet they put a traitor in control of the banks. You'd think they'd have put someone more trustworthy in charge." The amount of 'you'd think they'd have's' that got passed around between them was enough to get them both terminated should they be heard, but they only spoke the truth. They were trained to think independently, the commanders, to see things differently to better preform their tasks, and they did so based on what they knew with no games of politics involved. Really, they could probably do a better job at running the senate than what was going on currently.

"Thorn." Fox's voice was stern, more disapproving, but Thorn knew the thought was reciprocated. "You know you can't say things like that. You're walking the line of treason with some of the things you say."

That stopped him from saying anything for a moment. Fox was already under enough stress, he didn't need to worry about Thorn being overheard and questioned, and what kind of consequences could come of it.

"Right. Sorry, vod." Maybe it was a good time to change the subject. "How are you holding up?"

"'m fine." A lie, and he knew it.

"Fox, you know you can tell me, right? Know I'm not there, but I can still help."

"Like I said, 'm fine." Thorn sighed at his brother's stubbornness before Fox spoke again, "How do things look there?"

"Eh, nothing happening so far. Nasty batch of seppos, but they're all like that."

"Just watch yourself, alright? Things didn't look good in the senate, and with a move like that, who knows what else the seppos are planning." Fox was worried, of course. But so was he.

"Nothing should happen. Bringing any sort of fighting to the banks will crumple both sides." The seps wouldn't be that senile to still attack, right?

"You really believe that crap?" Fox didn't. Neither did he.

"Of course not."

"Then keep your guard up, Thorn. That's exactly how they get you."

Thorn sighed another time, but before he could say anything, the door side open, his lieutenant standing in the doorway. "Commander, sorry to interrupt, but there's something you should see."

"Can it wait a few minutes?" It might be muffled, but Fox could probably hear the conversation going on between them.

"No, Commander. You really need to see this."

Fuck. That didn't sound good, and already his gut was beginning to turn at the thoughts of what it could be. "Right. I'll be right behind you." With a nod, the lieutenant was gone back down the hall, and the voice on the comm spoke up once more.

"You've got to go." It wasn't a question, fix knew, could guess just as well as he could.

"Yeah. Sorry, vod."

"Don't be. Go. And come back, got it?"

Thorn couldn't make that promise. He just couldn't, so he swallowed the words down, "Yeah, be safe, brother."

There was a sigh on the other end before the call ended, and already Thorn was heading out the door and down the hall to see what needed to be seen to urgently.

Even before he got in front of the screen, he could see what it was. A few of his men stood in front of it, staring at the images on the screen.

"It looks like an invasion fleet, sir." His lieutenant looked at him, saying what didn't really need to be said, but it got his mind moving faster now.

They both shared a glance as he stopped in front of the controls, realization sinking in. "We're caught out here in the open."

Osik. His men were still out there, they all were and with the fleet moving in fast, there wasn't time. Almost as soon as the words left his mouth, he was turning on his heel and running to exit the ship, two other sets of footfalls accompanying his own, barking orders to get the ship up and off the ground. Without breaking his pace any, he hefted his cannon in hand as he ran past, and moments later, was down the ramp.

"Get the men off this landing platform and beyond the city gates!" His voice held the urgency at hand as he barked the order to the few troopers on post. Wasting no time, they took off to alert the other troops and gunships.

He was still shouting out orders when the little thought crept into the back of his mind. He didn't say anything important to Fox. Didn't say goodbye. He always expected to die, but didn't think it would be like this, not so soon. Not when his brother needed him.

But at least he didn't make a promise he'd be back.

He raised his comm for the moment, ready to press a button to make the call, but Fox wasn't the only one he needed to speak to right now. he's have to put that call off.

So he pressed a different button, "Senator Amidala, come in please." It took several moments before the line picked up, moments it felt like they didn't have. They were running out of time.

"What is it, Commander Thorn?" The senator's voice was still soft as ever, might have even been a comfort if not for the impending fate bearing down on them.

"We are under attack by the separatist garrison . . looks to be a full invasion." The whirring of the engines approaching were close enough to hear now. 

"Invasion?" She questioned, in what he could guess was disbelief, nothing was supposed to happen, right? But he didn't give it the thought. They didn't have the time. 

"We can't get to you. I suggest you get to a ship as soon as you can." By now, some of the gunships were beginning to lift off the platform, some already moving away from the platform, some men still littering the area. They needed to get off, get to safety, so he abandoned the comm, and moved forward towards them. 

And that's when they finally arrived. The separatist bombers whirred into both view and range, the security station behind him becoming the first to fall. All it took was a few missiles, and the whole ship shook, breaking apart at the impact sight and sliding backwards off the pad.

He and his brothers ducked away from the blast, hearing the commotion and looking up at the sliding, screeching metal in time to see it go over the side. He didn't even realize how much he was leaning towards the ship, he probably would have reached out for it, in some hope to save it, if it weren't for the gun in his hands. Those were his brothers. His men. Gone. Just like that. 

The men around him on the platform started firing at the bombers, trying to take them out, but that's not what they needed to be doing. They needed to be moving. He raised his own cannon and started firing at one of the moving targets, tailing it but not managing to hit it as the bombers circled back in. In what seemed like a matter of seconds, too fast to even feel the pain or grief of it, all their gunships had been shot down and destroyed. All that was left was him and a handful of his troops, trying to keep shooting at the fighters. It wasn't going to work, their only hope was to make it to the gates where they couldn't be followed. 

A well launched rocket took out one of the fighters. He would have congratulated that trooper if he got the chance. If any of them did. But it brought back the fact that this wasn't going to work. "Arrg, let's move! Hurry!" He shouted to his remaining men, ceasing his firing to turn and take to running for the gates, his brothers turning and doing the same. 

They'd only made it a short distance, still too far from safety, when another ship moved between them and their possible salvation. A droid transport. His troops stopped their forward run, watching as just as many battle droids as their own numbers were dropped in front of them. With a glance over his shoulder, Thorn realized they weren't going to make it. More droid transports flew in and dropped behind them, still cutting down their numbers, and dropping more droids behind them. 

A small little thought was creeping back into his mind. He was glad he didn't make a promise, that he didn't say he'd be back, that he'd be okay. It would have made it so much harder.

The commander heard his men falling around him. They were vastly outnumbered, being overwhelmed by the droid forces, but they still fought on with the diminishing hope that they could figure something out. That somehow they could break through the ranks and make a run for the city gates and beyond.

He was glad he didn't make any promises.

Thorn had watched as the droid forces bore down on his men, taking out the very surveillance center he'd been aboard minutes ago. As they took out his gunships. His men, his soldiers. His brothers. Only a handful of his troops remained now, and fought as his side as the droid forces pressed in further. He could hear them falling behind him.

They wouldn't make it. He knew they wouldn't. The thought, the dread, was just starting to set in when the first blast connected with his lower ribcage; the searing pain burning, but it didn't slow him down. Not yet.

He should have said something different. Should have told his brother he loved him, reminded him. You never knew when you'd get to say it again.

He was glad he didn't make any promises.

He shifted from shooting to using his cannon to knock out the nearest droids, letting them fall and only continuing to stand and fight.

And Fox had laughed when he would train with his Z-6, like he'd ever use it in such an obscene way. If only he could see him now.

He was glad he didn't make any promises. He wouldn't have been able to keep them.

"For the Republic!" His cry rang out, pushing himself to keep fighting on. He had to keep fighting, couldn't give up now.

There were still so many things he needed to do. So many things he needed to make sure of. Most of all, he needed to be there for his brother, who needed him most. Needed to make sure he'd be okay, because he never expected he'd be gone, and wouldn't be coming back.

There were still so many things . . so many things passing in his mind; the senator had no one else here to protect her, he wasn't even sure if she'd managed to leave yet. Likely not, with how things went for them. His men, he couldn't hear anyone else behind him now, he was the last man standing. None of his men deserved to go out like this, slaughtered so easily. Fox . . his brother. He didn't deserve to be left like this.

It was made him glad he didn't make any promises. He didn't have his word to live up to.

The second shot connected with the center of his chest, the plastoid armor only doing so much to actually protect him from the blast. But it was enough, the damage was done. Not just because the new severity of the wound, but it finally slowed him down. He stumbled back.

And that was it. That was what it finally took to put him down. To take the fight from him.

Another blast connected, followed by another, and before he really knew it, the commander was on his knees. Breathing was a struggle, painful. He was already staring to lose his edge, the world going in and out for the moment before he shook his head, clearing his vision enough to stare down the blaster in front of him. The droid behind it.

This was it. This was how he finally went out. Fitting. His brother had once said he'd be too stubborn to die. He was almost right.

And that's why he was happy he didn't tell his brother he'd be back. He knew he wouldn't be coming back when the alarm sounded. They both knew, but they didn't have the time to say all the things that needed to be said.

So they said nothing.

I'm sorry you have to see this, Fox. he thought, as he watched the droid bear down on him, blaster raised to his head. I'm sorry, brother.

The last shot connected before he could even realize he'd spoken his thoughts aloud.

**Author's Note:**

> If you're crying with me, I have to say I'm sorry. For loving Thorn as much as I do, he deserved nothing but the best, and even still, at 2 am in the morning, I think I gave him more justice and more story than we got to see in the show.
> 
> My ending is the way it is due to the fact I'm considering continuing it, making a follow up with Fox both finding out and dealing with the aftermath of Scipio.


End file.
